The present invention relates to an apparatus to be worn by a golfer. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus to help golfers develop a proper putting stroke by restricting the flexing and contracting action of the right wrist and the third, fourth and fifth fingers of the right hand (for a right-handed golfer) during the stroke.
It is generally agreed by many golfing experts that the right wrist (for a right-handed golfer) should break forward minimally, if at all, when putting the ball to achieve maximum power transfer and control. If the wrist breaks forward more than slightly, the effect is to cause the wrist and fingers three, four and five of the right hand to contract, thereby causing the forearm and hand to turn inward or pronate. The effect on the stroke is that the putter turns to the left and downward, and does not squarely meet the ball as is proper. If there is severe pronation, the club head may undesirably hit the putting surface prior to striking the ball. At minimum, though, any amount of pronation will have an adverse effect on the path and speed of the ball.
In the prior art, attempts have been made to improve a golfer's swing by limiting the backward break or backward bend of the golfer's hands. U.S. Pat. No. 3,423,095 issued to Cox (the "Cox patent") discloses a device that prevents the backward breaking of the left wrist (for a right-handed golfer) during a swing. Cox teaches that doing so lessens the chance that a driven golf ball will hook or slice rather than take flight in a direct line.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,508 issued to Kawada (the "Kawada patent") discloses a golf glove to prevent the left hand and thumb (of a right-handed golfer) from bending backward during a swing.
However, neither the Cox patent nor the Kawada patent addresses the contraction of the wrist and fingers during putting, or the problems associated with the forward flexing of the wrist and fingers.
Thus, there has existed a long-standing need among golfers for a training apparatus that would prevent golfers from flexing or collapsing their wrist forward when putting, thereby reducing poor strokes and wayward putts.